Every age has its food fads; every few years eating habits evolve as we become more conscious of what is healthy – and what is not – as we discover new products which allow for a larger selection of heretofore unimaginable dishes in a traditional Jewish kitchen. These days we see a plethora of new cookbooks that bring kosher cooking to new and exciting levels, yet… some books are destined to become classics to be reprinted over and over. One such book is The New Food Processor Bible – 30th Anniversary Edition.

Norene Gilletz original, The Pleasure of Your Processor, was first published in 1980; in 2002 she revised it with 100 new recipes as The Food Processor Bible and now in 2011 she just came out with a further revision. It’s a classic that keeps getting better and better.

Norene, whom we recently interviewed on our internet radio show, does not believe in a time consuming, the more ingredients the better, cooking style. Her books are filled with straight forward, sensible, easy to follow recipes and the present volume is no exception.

Starting with a section explaining food processors, and continuing with Nutritional Analysis it goes on to through 12 more sections ranging from Appetizers to Passover and covering soups, fish, meat, salads, desserts and more. The results are healthy and delicious.

Here is one of my new favorite recipes (and there are quite a few that we loved!):

Rozie’s Osso Bucco with Gremolata

Yield: 6 servings

6 Veal shanks, well trimmed (about 4lb)

1/2 cup flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium carrots, cut in chunks

2 medium onions, cut in chunks

2 cups mushrooms

2 stalks celery

3/4 to 1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (salt-free or regular)

1 can (28oz) tomatoes (salt free or regular)

1/4 cup fresh basil minced (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Gremolata

Coat veal on all sides with flour, shaking off excess. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add veal (in batches) and brown slowly on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Discard from a skillet.

Food-stained pages are the road map to the best recipes in a cookbook! Thanks for your comments, Irene. And a big thank you to Chaim Szmidt for such a wonderful review of my cookbook, The NEW Food Processor Bible! Norene Gilletz, http://www.gourmania.com